As data communications increase, the demand placed on data distribution networks increases. To help meet this demand distributed data networks may increasingly use fiber optic communications. However, the cost of installing fiber spans and the cost of increasingly complex optics to communication more data over longer distances may be prohibitive. Reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs) can assist with meeting certain network design objects. However, ROADMs may also be prohibitively expensive. Hence, there is a need for an improved method of placing ROADMs in a network.